Spectacle supported nasal pressure-applying device



Aug. 28, 1962 e. AUFRICHT 3,051,168

SPECTACLE SUPPORTED NASAL PRESSURE-APPLYING DEVICE Filed Oct. 11, 1961 2Sheets-Sheet l G. AUFRICHT Aug. 28, 1962 SPECTACLE SUPPORTED NASALPRESSURE-APPLYING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 11, 1961 3,051,168SPECTACLE SUPPORTED NASAL PRESSURE- APPLYING DEVICE Gustave Aufricht,1009 Park Ave, New York, N.Y. Filed Oct. 11, 1961, Ser. No. 144,494 13Claims. (Cl. 12876) The present invention relates to devices associatedwith spectacles for applying treatment and shaping pressure controllablyand selectively to peoples noses, and it is an improvement of thedevices disclosed in my prior Patent No. 2,965,099 of December 20, 1960,for Spectacle Supported Nasal Clamp, the application for which SerialNo. 423,443, filed April 15, 1954, was copending with my applicationSerial No. 762,573, now abandoned, filed September 22, 1958, of whichthe present application is a continuation-impart; and my prior PatentNo. 2,843,115 for Combined Spectacle Frame and Nasal Clamp, which issuedJuly 15, 1958.

A general object of the invention is to provide such a device which maybe attractively embodied in rather otherwise conventional spectaclesthat will apply effectively controlled pressure to one or more selectedareas of a persons nose by one or more engaging pad means each of whichis supported in a simple manner by a resilient supporting member that isadjustably mounted to the frame of such spectacles, the parts beingreadily and economically constructed by mass manufacturing procedure andassembled in a simple manner while allowing easy and sure manipulationand adjustment thereof.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provideembodiments of such a device which adjustably carry the pressureapplying nose pad means on resilient depending leg means with the latterbeing adjustably mounted to the spectacle frames in a desired, easilyadjustable way to assure attainment in an efiicient manner of thecorrect amount of pressure at the proper localities dictated by thesurgeons skill.

Another object of the invention is to provide an embodiment of thedevice which permits ready mounting thereof to a pair of spectacles ofconventional design.

A further objectof the invention is to provide such nasalpressure-applying corrective devices in forms which feature in eachelongated depending leg means having an upper section, a bottompad-supporting section and an intervening appreciably resilient section,means connecting the upper leg section to the transverse nose bridgesection of the spectacle frame in a predetermined depending positionurging laterally inward swing of the lower pad-supporting section tocause the pad carried by the latter effectively to apply correctivepressure to a localized area of the patients nose with the interveningsection causing the pad to apply yielding steady traction, there beingefficiently associated with the depending leg means and located to oneside thereof laterally adjustable stop means which is in the path oflateral swing of the leg means with the stop means being manuallyadjustable to a predetermined lateral fixed position effectively tolimit the resiliently urged swing of the pad.

Still another object of the invention is to provide such nasalpressure-applying corrective devices in structural forms which assurethat the upper section of the elongated depending leg means is ofappreciably less resiliency than the intermediate section whichintervenes it and the lower pad-supporting section with manuallyadjustable means mounting the relatively stiffer upper section to thenose bridge section of the spectacle frame for at least transverse swingto a manually adjusted and temporarily fixed lateral position so thatthis stiffness assures substantial maintenance of the dependingorientation thereof while the resiliency of the intervening sectioneffectively 2 assures application of yielding steady traction by the padcarried by the lower section.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in partappear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction,combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts, which will beexemplified in the constructions hereinafter set forth, and the scope ofthe invention will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the inventionreference should be had to the following detailed description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a pair of spectacles which mayconsist of a frame of rather conventional design, except for means toattach an embodiment of the nasal pressure-applying device of thepresent invention thereto, and the usual temple pieces or bows, anembodiment of the nasal pressure-applying means of the present inventionbeing shown mounted thereon;

FIG. 2 is anenlarged elevational view, with parts broken away, of aportion of the transverse bridge structure intervening the two lens rimsof the spectacle frame illustrated in FIG. 1 and showing one of thenasal pressureapplying devices illustrated in FIG. 1 mounted thereon;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially on line 33 ofFIG. 2, with parts broken away;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are enlarged sectional views respectively takensubstantially on line 44 and on line 5-5 of FIG. 2, with parts brokenaway;

FIG. 6 is an elevational view similar to FIG. 2. illustrating the usethereof in applying steady gentle traction to an exaggeratedillustration of a swelling or misshaped protuberance on the side of apatients nose, part of which is broken away and shown in section;

FIG. 7 is an elevational view similar to FIG. 6, with parts broken awayand in section, showing a modified 'form of the nasal pressure-applyingdevice depicted therein, and illustrating similar use thereof;

FIG. 8 is a front elevational view, with parts broken away, similar toFIG. 2, showing a further modification of the nasal pressure-applyingdevice of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged perspective of an adjustable stop member of theFIG. 8 embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 1010 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged front elevational view, with parts broken away,showing a further modified form of the nasal pressure-applying device ofthe present invention removably mounted upon the transverse bridgestructure or bar of a spectacle frame;

FIGS. 12 and 13 are enlarged sectional views, with parts broken away,respectively taken substantially on line 1212 and line 1313 of FIG. 11;

FIG. 14 is an enlarged perspective front view, with parts broken awayand in section, of left side portions of a spectacle frame and of afurther embodiment of the device of the present invention which isremovably clipped to the transverse nose bridge or bar structurethereof, one of a pair of opposed depending leg structures thereof beingillustrated;

FIG. 15 is a perspective view to smaller scale of the embodiment of thedevice shown in FIG. 14, with parts broken away and in section,illustrating a part of one of the pair of depending legs thereof and itsadjustment;

FIG. 16 is a plan View, also to smaller scale, of a sheet blank which isincorporated in the form of the device illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 15;and

FIG. 17 is a back elevational view of the embodiment of the device shownin FIGS. 14, 15 and 16.

Referring to the drawings, in which like numerals identify similar partsthroughout, it will be seen from FIGS. 1 to 6 incl. that an embodimentof the present invention may be in a form supportable upon the frame 21of a somewhat conventional pair of spectacles except for minor revisionto permit the mount thereon of the device. The pair of spectacles 20 maycomprise a substantially rigid molded plastic frame 21 and a pair ofinternally reinforced plastic temple pieces or bows 22, 22 pivotal-1yconnected thereto in the usual manner. The spectacle frame 21 maycomprise a pair of lens rims 23, 23, each of which carries a lens 24,and with these rims connected transversely together by a bridgestructure which may be in the form of a lateral bar 25.

In accordance with the present invention one form of nasalpressure-applying device may be mounted upon the bridge structure or bar25 laterally to one side thereof adjacent one of the lens rims 23. Thisdevice may be in the form of an elongated depending leg means 26 havingan upper section or top end 27, a lower padsupporting section 28 and atleast an intervening resilient section 29, as will be best understoodfrom FIG. 2. It may be preferred to form the major portion of the dopending leg means 26 from a piece of spring wire, such as spring steel,spring bronze and the like. The intervening resilient section 29 may, ifdesired, be provided with one or more helical turns, such as thatillustrated at 30 in FIG. 2, to increase the resilient action thereof.

The upper section 27 of the depending leg means 26, above theintermediate resilient section 29, is stiffened by providing a partthereof in the form of a relatively short, depending rigid arm 43 havinga hole 31 (FIG. 4) extending laterally through its top end from front toback. The top end of the major portion wire element of the depending legmeans is turned over to define an eye 131 arranged in a plane normal tothe transverse bridge structure 25 and the axis of hole 31. The top endof upper leg section 27 and its eye 131, and including a part of thewire element depending from the eye, are lapped or abutted against aside face 143 of the stiff depending arm 43. An internally threadedblind hole 44 in the side face 143 threadably receivesexternallythreaded shank 45 of a headed screw 46 extended through theeye 131, as will be understood from FIG. 5, thereby securing these partsof the upper leg section 27 together.

Means are provided for adjustably mounting the upper leg section or topend 27 of the depending leg means 26 to the spectacle frame bridgestructure 25 for transverse swing of the leg means to an adjusted andtemporarily fixed position. For this purpose, the lateral hole 31 in thestilf arm 43 of the upper leg section 27 receives clampable pivot means,which may be in the form of a headed screw 32, for swinging mount in atransverse plane of dependent leg 26. For example and as will be seenfrom FIG. 4, an internally-threaded blind hole 33 may be formed in theouter face of the transverse bridge structure or bar 25 threadablyreceiving therein externally-threaded shank 34 of the headed screw 32with this screw shank extending through the eye 31. It will beunderstood that when each screw 32 is loosened, the depending leg means26 mounted thereon may freely swing in a transverse plane to any desiredadjusted position and may then be fixed or clamped in this position bytightening up this screw.

The lower pad-supporting section 28 of each depending leg element 26carries a pressure-applying nose pad means 35. Each nose pad means 35may consist of a plate 36 suitably shaped or-convexed to apply pressureto an area of the side of a persons nose without undue discomfort. Suchshaped pad plate 36 may be faced, if desired, with comfort contributingmaterial. Each pressure-applying nose pad plate 36 is suitably mountedupon means to support it on the lower pad-supporting section 28 of thedepending leg means 26, which may be in the form'of a collar or sleeve37 having a through hole 38 through which is slidably mounted this lowerpad-supporting leg section, as will be best understood from FIG. 3. Aninternally-threaded lateral hole 39 in collar or sleeve 37 extends toits bore 3% and threadably receives therein the externally-threadedshank 46 of a set screw 41, so as to fix this sleeve in a selected oneof a plurality of adjusted longitudinal positions upon the depending legmeans 26. A lateral arm 42 mounted on one side of sleeve 37 may carrythe pad plate 36. It will thus be understood that by loosening the setscrew 41 the elevation of the pressure-applying pad plate 36 may beadjusted by slide up or down of the sleeve 37 on the depending legelement section 28, and it can likewise be radially adjusted thereon byrotation of sleeve 37. Tightening of set screw 41 will then temporarilyfix the pressureapplying nose pad means 35 in the adjusted position tooverlie a side area of a patients nose, or a swelling or misshapenprotuberance thereon, selected by the plastic surgeon for correctivetreatment of a fracture or congenital distortion, as the case may be. Aprovision of the pair of the transversely-spaced pressure-applyingdevices, as proposed in FIG. 1, permits application of opposing pressureon opposite sides of the nose.

It may be desired to provide a nasal pressure-applying device of thepresent invention in a form which permits swing of the depending legmeans forward and back as well as transversely. The embodimentillustrated in FIGS. 1 to 6 incl. permits such adjustment. Looseningscrew 32 permits the position of the stiff suspending arm 43 to beadjusted in the transverse plane to a selected position and then fixedtherein by tightening of this screw, and the position of the dependingleg Wire element mounted thereto may be adjusted either forward or backin a plane normal to the transverse plane by loosening screw 46,allowing either forward or back swing of the depending leg element to aselected position in which it then may be fixed by tightening screw 46.The embodiment of the device illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 6 incl. is thuscharacterized by a forwardly-extending pivot means in the form of screw32 and transversely-extending pivot means in the form of screw 46, bothof which are tightenable to hold the depending leg wire element in anadjusted position of transverse and forward and back swing.

It will be seen that in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 6 incl. the uppersection 27 of the depending leg means 26 is of appreciably lessresilience than the intermediate section 29, thus assuring substantialmaintenance of its depending orientation when adjusted to apredetermined fixed lateral position of transverse swing by theadjustable mounting means. In FIG. 6 is illustrated the action of thisdepending leg means 26 in a mounted position which applies by itspressure-applying nose pad means 35 yielding steady traction to aswelling or a misshapen protuberance on one side of a patients nose,diagrammatically illustrated therein to an exaggerated scale for clarityat MN). The plastic surgeon will by virtue of his skill and experienceadjust the depending lateral orientation of the stiff arm 43 and theforward swing of the wire element of depending leg means 26 so that,with the nose pad 36 located and bearing against the selected localizedarea of treatment at 100, the amount of traction he wishes applied willbe produced. Since the top end of the wire element in the upper section27 of the depending leg means 26 is lapped or abutted against the sideface 143 of the depending stiff arm 43 the bottom edge at 243 of thisside face serves as stop means located to one side of the wire elementand in the path of its lateral swing. Since this stop means 143 is apart of the depending stifl arm 43 which is adjustably mounted to thetransverse nose bridge structure 25 by screw 32 manual adjustmentthereof to a predetermined lateral fixed position is permitted byloosening screw 32 and then tightening it after the stifi arm is swungto the desired position that locates the stop provided by it wheredesired, so that it will limit the resiliently urged swing of the pad 36as the swelling or size of the protuberance at is reduced to the extentjudged by the surgeon to be proper and desirable. It will be understoodthat at the beginning of a treatment, as is illustrated in FIG. 6, theeffective length of the top section portion of the wire element betweenthe resilient mid-section 29 and stop 243 is shorter than it is whenafter a period of treatment the swelling at 100 reduces until the topend of the wire element depends substantially parallel to the side face143. In the latter case the effective length of the top portion of thewire element is the distance between its mid-section 29 and thescrew-anchored eye 131. Thus the over-all effective stiffness of thewire element of depending leg means 26 is greatest at the beginning of atreatment and is reduced as the treatment progresses, so that there is adesired gradual reduction in the amount of applied traction over theperiod of treatment due to the cooperation of this characteristic andthe fact that gradually less pressure is applied as the bottompad-supporting section 28 swings laterally nearer to alignment with theside face 143 of stiff arm 43.

A simple reversal of parts of the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 6incl. may enhance the limiting action of the stop means thereof, as isillustrated in FIG. 7. Upon removal of the mounting screw 32 the stifidepending arm 43 may be turned over and the screw reinserted through itshole to mount it to the transverse nose bridge structure 25, so that itsface which was the back thereof in the FIGS. 1 to 6 incl. embodiment nowis the front thereof and the side face 143, to which the eye 131 at thetop end of the depending wire element is anchored by screw 46, is now onthe laterally outward side of the stiff arm. This laterally outward sideface 143 and its bottom edge stop 243 limit laterally inward swing ofthe wire element and pad 36 carried thereby while permitting laterallyoutward resilient yield thereof away from these abutted portions of thedepending stifi arm 43. Since the mid-section 129 of the wire elementhas natural resilience due to the resilience of the wire and the remotelocation thereof from the force applying bottom end portion at the pad36 and from the anchoring point at screw 46, with the greater resilienceat this remote intermediate location resulting from laws of leverage, itmay not be necessary to provide therein one or more spring turns, suchas that at 30 in the FIGS. 1 to 6 incl. embodiment. The straight wireintermediate section 129 has greater effective resilience than thebottom section 28 and the relative stifi top section 27 which includesstilf arm 43 and the eyeequipped top end of the wire element.

These desirable features may be provided by a ball and socket jointmeans utilized to mount the depending leg means to the spectacle frameand an associated stop means carried by the latter. For example, as isillustrated in FIGS. 8, 9 and 10, the transverse nose bridge structureor bar 25 may have an indentation, preferably in the form of anapproximately semi-spherical recess 47, molded or cut into the outerface thereof and overlaid by clamping means, such as a clip 48 shaped toprovide in the back side thereof a complementary indentation, such as asubstantially semi-spherical recess 49. Clip 48 may be provided with alateral hole 50 through which the externallythreaded shank 51 of aheaded clamping screw 52 may extend into an internally-threaded blindhole 53 in the face of nose bridge structure 25.

Depending leg element 226 of FIG. 8 has an upper end section 227, alower pad-supporting section 228, and an intervening resilient section229, which may be similar to the resilient sections 29 of the embodimentof FIGS. 1 to '6 incl. The top end of the depending leg element 226,which may be a length of resilient metallic wire, is suitably providedwith a ball 54 seated in the socket provided by the opposedcomplementary semi-spherical recesses 47 and 49. Although this ball 54may be formed of metal more secure clamping action may be obtained byproviding it as a plastic body which may have some elasticity, such as aball of polyethylene molded about a laterally turned tip 55 of the upperleg section 227.

The structure of the upper leg section 227 of the FIGS. 8, 9 and 10embodiment includes means to promote the relative stiffness thereof, inthe form of laterally adjustable stop means 343. The stop means 343 maybe in the form of an elongated arm 75 constructed of a relatively stiifstrip of metal or rigid plastic, having an inturned bottom end 76 and aneye 77 at its top end. The shank 51 of the screw 52 is inserted throughhole 78 in the eye 77 and then through the hole 50 in the clip 48 forsecurement of both to the spectacle frame transverse bridge structure25. When so mounted, the inturned end 76 of the stop arm 75 is in thepath of the lateral swing of the depending wire element whichconstitutes the major portion of the depending leg means 226. The stopprovided by the inturned end '76 of stop arm 75 may, if desired, engagethe wire element either below or above the resilient coil 30 in themid-section of the depending leg means 226.

It is to be understood that the structural embodiment of FIGS. 8, 9 and10 provides lateral swing stop means which permits manual adjustmentthereof to a predetermined lateral fixed position to limit theresiliently urged swing of the pressure-applying pad 36 mounted upon thebottom section 228 of the depending leg means 226. When the clampingscrew 52 is slightly loosened, the recessed end of the clamping clip 48is permitted to move out away from the outer face of the nose bridgestructure 25 slightly for increasing the size of the socket space, sothat the ball 54 may be easily turned in the socket for both transverseswinging and forward and back swinging adjustment of the depending legelement 226. Simultaneously, the eye 77 of the stop arm 343 is freed sothat it may be swung laterally to an adjusted position of limit oflateral swing of the wire element of the depending leg means 226. Whenthe pad means 235 supported on the lower section 228 of the dependingleg means 226 has been moved to the desired location of application ofpressure to one side of a patients nose by such swing of the dependingleg element, and the stop means provided by the arm 343 has beenmanually adjusted to a position adjudged by the plastic surgeon to bethe proper terminus of the gentle traction applied by the pad 36, theyare tightly clamped in their relative positions by tightening up theclamping screw 52. For the purpose of permitting both transverseswinging and forward and back swinging adjustment of the wire element ofthe depending leg means 226, the lower edge of the clamping plate 48 maybe notched, such as is proposed at 56 in FIG. 8, to assure freedom ofsuch swinging motions when the screw 52 is loosened so as to attain thedesired depending orientation of the wire element.

It will be understood from FIG. 8 that, although it may be desirable tomount the pressure-applying nose pad means 135 adjustablry on the wireelement of the depending 'leg means 226, such adjustable mount is notessential to practice of the present invention since the pad plate 36may be carried by a lateral arm 242 provided as a laterally bent lowerend of the depending leg wire element in the lower section 228.

It will thus be seen that the ball and socket joint means illustrated inFIGS. 8 and 10 has means temporarily to fix the depending leg element inan adjusted position as a result of the clamping action of clampingplate 48 and clamping screw 52. Although part of such ball and socketjoint means may be provided as a portion of the nose bridge structure orbar of the spectacle frame, the socket structure may, if desired, becarried by a separate body disengageably clamped on the nose bridgestructure by suitable clamping means. Such an embodiment of the nasalpressure-applying device of the present in vention is illustrated inFIGS. 11 to 13 incl. In this embodiment, the transverse nose bridge barreceives thereabout a U-shaped clip 57 having a pair of laterallyspacedarms 58, 58 which receive the nose bridge bar therebetween, and whichare provided with aligned holes through which a headed clamping screw 59extends to permit secure mounting thereon or disengagement therefromupon removal of this screw. Since it is preferred that for the sake ofattractive appearance, the top ends of the clip legs 58, 58 do notextend above the top edge of the nose bridge bar 125, the latter isprovided with an enlarged hole 60 freely to receive shank 61 of screw59, with the hole 62 in the rear'leg 58 preferably being internallythreaded threadably to receive the threaded end 63 of screw shank 61, aswill be understood from FIG. 12.

The U-shaped clip 57 has suitably mounted thereto a transverse body 64which, if desired, may be soldered or welded thereto, as is proposed at65, 65 in FIG. '12. The supporting body 64 may be rabbeted at 66, as isindicated in FIGS. 12 and 13, to receive a clamping plate 67 securedthereto in any suitable manner by tightening means which may beloosened, such as a pair of screws 68, 68.

As indicated in FIG. 13, the bottom face of the rabbet 66 may haveformed therein apair of transversely-spaced indentations, preferablysemi-spherical recesses 147, and the back face of clamping plate 67 isprovided with complementary indentations, such as substantiallysemispherical recesses 149. The wire element of depending leg means 326preferably is suitably formed from spring metal, and its top end 327carries a ball 154 which, if of metal, may be swaged thereon or suitablyfastened there-.

to by any equivalent means. Ball 154 seats in the spherical spaceprovided by complementary semi-spherical recesses 147 and 149 and asuitable enlarged opening, such as conical hole 156, provided by a pairof opposed complementary notches in the opposed faces of the rabbetedportion of body 64 and clamping plate 67, permits freedom of adjustingswing of depending leg element 326 in a transverse plane and alsoforward and back. Thus when screws 68, 68 are loosened, each of the pairof depending leg elements 326 may be swung transversely or forward orback, or in a plurality of such directions, to an adjusted position ofthe pressure-applying nose pad means 35 carried thereby and, upontightening of the screws 68, 68 the depending leg elements will betemporarily clamped in their adjusted positions.

If it is desired to adjust in the FIGS. 1:2 to 13 incl. device each ofthe wire elements of the depending leg means 326 separately withoutloosening the other, clamping plate 67 may be made in two parts, such asby severing it medially between the pair of screws 68, 6'8, with onepart being clamped in position by one of these screws and the otherbeing clamped in position by the other of these screws. Each clampingpad means 35 may be suitably supported by adjustable means carried byeach depending leg wire element, such a sleeve 137 having a set screw41. Such sleeve means 137 should at least be vertically slidable on thelower section of the depending leg element but need not be rotatablethereon since radial adjustment may be attained by the ball and socketmounting means. Thus, the depending leg element may be polygonal incross-section with the hole through each mounting sleeve 137 beingshaped complementary thereto to permit vertical sliding adjustmentwithout relative rotation.

'Each of the depending leg means 326 of the FIGS. 11 to 13 incl.embodiment desirably includes adjustable stop means in the path oflateral swing of the resilient wire element thereof for stiffening thetop section thereof. For example, such stop means 443 (-FIG. 13) may bea relatively stiff rod 69 of metal or other manually adjustable orbendable material suitably fastened to the supporting body 64 and dependtherefrom on the inward side of the wire element of one of the dependingleg means 326. As will be seen in FIG. 13 the bottom end of each stoprod 69 is turned transversely to provide a stop bar 70 in the path oflateral swing of the adjacent depending wire element of the associateddepending leg means 326. The effective stop position of this stop means443 is manually adjustable since the rod 69 is bendable,

for example from the dotted position 169 to the full line position 69shown in the right side of FIG. 11. Each of the stop means 443, i.e.,each stop rod 69 and its transverse bottom end 7 0, performs a functionsimilar to that of the stop arm 343 of the FIGS. 8, 9 and 10 embodiment.If desired the screw 59 may be omitted and resilience of clip legs 58,58 relied on removably to hold the clip structure 57 on the transverseno se bridge bar 125.

It will be understood that the present invention contemplatesembodiments of the type illustrated in FIGS. 11 to 13 incl. which are ofsuch structural dimensions and design as to be :locatable insubstantially hidden fashion behind the nose bridge bar 125 to which thesupporting body, such as a variation of that shown at 64, will beremovably fastened in any suit-able manner. For example, the verticalwidth of the transverse supporting body 64 may be substantially that ofor less than the vertical width of nose bridge bar 125 and one or moreholes through the top portion of such body above its clamping plate 67may be aligned with similar holes through the nose bridge bar to receiveremovable fastening screws. In such case, this transverse supportingbody may be turned around so that its clamping plate may be on the rearside rather than on the front side thereof. Such a structure may befurther simplified by providing the substantially semi-sphericalrecesses149 in the rear face of the nose bridge bar 125 which may, ifdesired, be fiat, and in such case the complementary semi-sphericalrecesses 147 may be formed in the forward flat face of a supporting bodywhich may be in the form of a fiat strip removably bolted to the nosebridge bar rear face or demountably fastened thereto by any suitabledisengageable clip means.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 14 to 17 incl. the spectaclesupported nasal pressureepplying corrective device is in the form of aclip which readily can be demountably mounted upon a conventionalspectacle frame 20, thus being a modification of the type of embodimentillustrated in FIGS. 11 to 13 incl. Clip device 457 of FIGS. 14 and 17comprises an elongated transverse strap 464 having on the rear sidethereof in the vicinity of the opposite ends of the latter upwardly bentspring fingers 458, 458, as will be best seen in FIG. 17. The clipdevice 457 may thus be applied readily to the transverse nose bridge bar25 of the spectacle frame 20 by inserting the nose bridge bar downwardlybetween the back of the transverse strap 464 and the spring clip fingers458, 458.

As will be understood from FIG. 16, the transverse strap 464, the springclip fingers 458, 458, and other parts of the embodiment of FIGS. 14 to17 incl. may be simply provided as unitary parts of a sheet metalstamping, with projecting tabs thereof then subsequently being bent toproper shapes. The spring clip fingers 458,

458 thus initially extend downwardly from the bottom edge of thetransverse strap 464. The sheet metal from which the stamping of FIG. 16is formed is of such character and thickness as to permit the variousprojecting tabs thereof to be bent to the required shapes while assuringthat these tabs in the narrow widths provided will have some resiliencyfor assuring spring clip action of the fingers 458, 458 when bentupwardly to the rear of the transverse strap 464. The transverse strapportion 464 preferably is cut out with a slight longitudinal curvatureso as to conform more generally to the conventional bowing of transversenose bridge structure 25 of the spectacle frame 20.

On the top edge of elongated transverse strap 464 are provided tabs 88,which extend upwardly and may be in substantial alignment with the tabswhich are to form the spring clip fingers 458, 458. Elongated dependingleg tabs 81, 81, which are to form parts of upper-sections of dependingleg means, extend downwardly from the bottom edge of the transversestrap 464 inward of the tabs 458, 458 and, by virtue of the slightlongitudinal arcuate shape of the transverse strap, may convergeslightly toward each other, as will be seen from FIG. 16. The bottom endof each elongated leg tab 81 is T-shaped to provide a pair oftransversely-extending tabs 82 and 182, which extend from opposite sidesof the main body thereof and are made integral therewith. Preferably,from the top edge of the transverse strap 464, and in general alignmentwith the depending leg tabs 81, 81, extend integral L-shaped tabs 83,83, defining with adjacent portions of the top edge notches 84, 84, butthese are not essential. The stamping of FIG. 16 is then shaped inproduction to provide the following functional parts.

Spring clip fingers 458, 458 are bent rearwardly and up behind thetransverse strap 464. The elongated top tabs 80, 80 are bent forwardlyand down in .front of the front face of the transverse strap 464, eachbeing then bent out again along an intermediate transverse line 85 sothat its end portion 86 extends laterally forward, as will be best seenfrom FIG. 15. Each tab 83 is bent forward and down and then up laterallyforward again to form an anchorage lug, as will be understood from FIGS.14 and 15. Each depending leg tab 81 is bent forward and upwardly andthen along a transverse line 87 downwardly again so that the baseportion 88 thereof which extends upwardly is spaced forward of the frontface of transverse strap 464 to define therebetween U-shaped space 89receptive of the end of a wire element, as will be explained later. Eachelongated leg tab 81 is then given a 90 twist transversely outwardbeyond the transverse bend line 87 in the area 94 and the side tabs 82and 182 thereof are bent transversely outward to general parallelism toform a fork having a U-s'haped receptive space on the outer side, aswill be seen from FIGS. 14 and 15.

The remaining portion of each depending leg means 426 may be provided inthe form of an elongated piece of resilient wire having one or morespring turns formed therein at 91 positioned over the portion 86 whichextends laterally forward so that the latter may serve as a pivotsupport therefor. After mounting the spring turns 91 over the forwardlyextending pivot portion 86 the tip end 92 thereof may be bent upwardly,as will be seen in FIG. 14, to hold the spring turns upon this pivotportion more securely. The terminal end 93 of each resilient leg wireelement 426, beyond the spring turns 91, may be engaged in the U- shapedspace 89 for anchorage. The depending spring wire element, in thevicinity of its mid-section 429, will be snapped into the U-shaped spaceof the fork provided by the tabs 82 and 182, so that the bottom end ofthe depending leg tab '81 provides a stop, and the top section 427 ofthe depending wire element will be stifiened by the depending leg tab.As in the preceding embodiments, pressureapplying pad 36 of FIGS. 14 and17 may be mounted by lateral arm 42 and its mounting eye 137 to thebottom section 428 of the depending wire element, with set screw 41clamping it thereto.

Let it be assumed that the embodiment of the invention illustrated inFIGS. 14 to 17 incl. is to be applied by a rhinoplastic surgeon to theframe 20 of spectacles normally used by a certain patient. Thetransverse nose bridge section of the spectacle frame is forced downinto the space between the clip arms 458, 458 and the back surface ofthe transverse strap 464, so as removably to mount this embodiment ofthe device to the spectacle frame in the manner indicated in FIG. 14.The surgeon will adjust the elevation of the pressure-applying pad 36longitudinally on the depending leg wire element 426 to the properlocation which will assure application of gentle traction to thelocalized side area of the patients nose which is to be desirablytreated. The surgeon will then determine the proper position of the stopmeans which will assure reduction of the gentle traction applied by thepad 36 as the depending leg wire element gradually springs inwardly toengagement thereof, manually bending the depending leg tab 81 laterallyto the selected position, such as from the full line position to thedotted line position indicated in FIG. 15. He will also adjust theforward or backward position of the pressure-applying pad 36 relative tothe swelling or protuberance to be treated by manually bending thedepending leg tab 81 outwardly forward or backward along the transversebend line 87, as may be required. This may be done with respect to onlyone of the depending leg means if the treatment is to be applied to onlyone side of the patients nose, the other leg means being omitted ifdesired, or both depending leg means may be employed if the treatment sodemands for application of general traction to opposite sides of thepatients nose.

In the initial mount of the FIGS. 14 to 17 incl. device and adjustmentto the patients nose, the wire element of each depending leg means may'have its mid-section 429 located appreciably transversely outward ofits associated stop means provided by depending'leg tab 81, but stillwithin the space between parallel tabs 82 and 182 thereon, and thelatter may be provided initially in greater length, if desired. Gentletraction is applied by pad 36 to the localized area of the side of thepatients nose by virtue of the spring biasing of the resilience of themid-section 429 of the depending leg wire element. This is supple mentedby the action of the spring turns at 91. In the event that it is desiredto have greater traction initially applied by resilient action, theterminal end 93 of the leg wire element may be swung upwardly to becaught over the top anchoring tab 83 within the notch 84. During thetreatment, as the size of the protuberance or swelling is reduced by theapplied gentle traction, the depending leg wire element gradually swingsinwardly until it engages the bottom end of the stop tab 81 betweenparallel side tabs 82 and 182, causing a material reduction in theresilient biasing force which, thereafter, is largely applied by theresilience of the mid-section of the depending leg wire element. Aftersuch laterally inward swing of the depending leg wire element of legmeans 426 has brought its midsection 429 to stop engagement with thebottom end of the stop tab 81, the top portion of the compositedepending leg means, including the top section 427 of the wire ele mentand the stop tab 81, is automatically made stiffer and the tractiveforce is reduced. Thus, in the initial portion of a treatment, thegentle traction which is applied may be desirably greater than thatwhich is applied during the terminal period thereof, and this may bealtered at will by the sur eon due to the manual adjustment which heinitially gives to the various parts, or may be changed by him during aperiod of treatment as his judgment dictates.

It will thus be seen that the structure of the embodiment of FIGS. 14 to17 incl. provides laterally adjustable stop means which is mounted tothe nose bridge structure of the spectacle frame on the inward side ofeach of the depending leg means in the path of its lateral swing. Thisstop means permits manual adjustment thereof to a predetermined lateralfixed position to limit the resiliently urged swing of thepressure-applying pad while permitting laterally outward resilient yieldof the depending leg wire element away from the abutted portion of therelatively stiff depending means to attain a desired differential inapplied traction during the initial and terminal periods of thetreatment. It is to be understood that the illustrations in FIGS. 14 to17 incl. are greatly exaggerated as to dimensions for clarity and thatthe parts thereof may be so proportioned and formed as to permit formsof this embodiment to be turned about and mounted to the back side ofthe transverse nose bridge structure of the spectacle frame, suitableprovision being made to prevent laterally projecting portions fromgiving discomfort.

It is to be understood that when a localized area of the side of a noseof a patient requires general traction treatment only on that side, anyof the embodiments of the present invention which for many treatmentsmay include duplicate depending leg means located on opposite sides, maybe revised in a simple manner to concentrate the corrective traction toone side. This may be readily accomplished by disabling or omitting thedepending leg means and its pressure-applying pad on the opposite side.However, in such a case it may be desired to assure that appreciabletraction be applied to the affected localized area on one side, and insuch a case the depending leg means on the opposite side may beretained, but fitted with a nose side-contacting pad of wide contactarea, 'which may have its wide contact area shaped substantiallycomplementary to the surface of the unaffected side. As a result, therelatively small traction applying pad, which is to perform thecorrective treatment in opposed relation to such a wide pad-bearingarea, will apply the corrective traction to the localized affected area.The wide bearing area on the opposite side which is shaped complementaryto the normal surfaces and the depending leg means on which it ismounted will balance the corrective traction pressure to avoid any unduecocking or tendency to displace the spectacle frame on which the deviceis mounted.

It will thus be seen that the embodiments of the improved nasalpressure-applying device disclosed herein are of particular advantage inrhinoplastic surgery. Support of the pressure-applying means onspectacles minimizes the prominence thereof or makes them practicallyinconspicuous; they are appreciably less noticeable than if provided asseparate complicated clamping devices. The simplicity of the presentconstruction and arrangement of parts also assures a minimum ofattention directed thereto while permitting design thereof in formsdetracting little if any from the aesthetic appearance of spectacleswhich may be substantially or actually of conventional designs. Suchdevices are particularly useful in the corrective treatment of laterallydeflected noses in which differential side pressure is a requisite.There is a physiological advantage in having the pressure applied gentlybut persistently to a fractured nasal bone rather than strongly andpainfully, and steady traction treatment stimulates healing ascontrasted with sudden and forceful impact which tends to tear newlyformed tissue. Children with nasal deformities and greenstic orincomplete fractures can be treated advantageously and easily in theyears preceding their late teen ages when initial corrective surgery isdeemed acceptably proper, and many of those for whom correctivespectacle lenses are indicated, as well as those who can be persuaded towear harmless plain lenses, frequently can have such difiicultiescompletely corrected before they have reached the proper operative agesby use of the quite inconspicuous and not unduly uncomfortable devicesof the present invention. Conspicuity and appreciable discomfort quitefrequently cause children to resist vigorously and abandon when notunder immediate parental control otherwise acceptable and advisablecorrective treatments, and these difficulties are avoided or minimizedto a degree of acceptance assuring appreciable treatment success.

It will thusbe seen that the objects set forth above, among those madeapparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained and,since certain changes may be made in the above constructions withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention, it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended tocover all of the generic and specific features of the invention hereindescribed, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as amatter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. A spectacle supported nasal pressure-applying corrective devicecomprising, in combination with a spectacle frame having a pair of lensrims and an intervening connecting substantially rigid transverse nosebridge structure determining by contact with the 'bridge of a patientsnose and adjacent face structure the distance of the spacing of thespectacle frame forward of his eyes; an elongated depending leg meanshaving an upper section, a bottom pad-supporting section and anintervening appreciably resilient section from which said lowerpad-supporting section depends; a pressure-applying nose pad meansmounted on the transverse inner side of said lower pad-supporting legsection below said intervening resilient section; means connecting saidupper leg section to said nose bridge structure in a predetermineddepending position urging laterally inward swing of said lowerpad-supporting section and the pad carried thereby to cause said pad toapply corrective side pressure to a localized area of the patients nosewith said resilient intervening section causing said pad to applyyielding steady traction; and laterally adjustable stop means mounted tosaid nose bridge structure to one side of said depending leg means inthe path of its lateral swing, said stop means permitting manualadjustment thereof to a predetermined lateral fixed position to limitthe resiliently urged swing of said pad.

2. The nasal pressure-applying corrective device as defined in claim 1characterized by said manually adjustable stop means being located onthe inward lateral side of said depending leg means to limit swinginward toward the patients nose of said pad and limit the extent ofsteady traction applied by the latter.

3. A spectacle supported nasal pressure-applying corrective devicecomprising, in combination with a spectacle frame having a pair of lensrims and an intervening connecting substantially rigid transverse nosebridge structure determining by contact with the bridge of a patientsnose and adjacent face structure the distance of the Spacing of thespectacle frame forward of his eyes; an elongated depending leg meanshaving a top section, a bottom pad-supporting section and a resilientintermediate section above said bottom section connecting the latter tosaid top section for resiliently urged lateral movement of said bottomsection relative to said top section; means pivotally supporting saidtop section on said nose bridge section for lateral swing of saiddepending leg means; relatively stiff elongated means depending fromsaid nose bridge structure along side of said top leg section; and meansadjustably connecting said relatively stiff means to said nose bridgesection for manual adjustment of said relatively stiif means to one of aplurality of predetermined relatively fixed lateral positions in each ofwhich said leg means is engageable with the latter to limit the lateralswing of said bottom pad-supporting section.

4. A spectacle supported nasal pressure-applying corrective devicecomprising, in combination with a transverse nose bridge structure of aspectacle frame, an elongated depending leg means, said leg means beingsuspended from said nose bridge structure and having a top section, abottom pad-supporting section and an intervening section with the lattertwo sections and at least a portion of the top section being in the formof integral portions of a resilient wire element, and a relatively stiffelongated depending means connected in a laterally adjustable manner tosaid nose bridge structure with at least a part of the top portion ofsaid resilient wire element being laterally abutted against a lowerportion of said relatively stiif elongated depending means to limitlateral movement of the upper portion of the intervening section of theresilient wire element to an adjusted position of lateral movement.

5. The nasal pressure-applying device as defined in claim 4characterized by said wire element being abutted to the laterallyoutward side of said relatively stiff depending means thereby limitinglaterally inward swing while permitting laterally outward resilientyield of said wire element away from the abutted portion of saidrelatively stiff depending means.

6. A spectacle supported nasal pressure-applying corrective devicecomprising, in combination with a spectacle frame having a transversenose bridge bar, a removable clamp having means disengageably clampingsaid clamp to said bridge bar, an elongated depending leg means havingan upper section, a lower pad-supporting section and an interveningappreciably resilient section from which said lower pad-supportingsection depends, a pressure-applying nose pad means mounted on saidlower pad-supporting leg section, and separate manually adjustable meansmounting said upper leg section to said removable clamp for at leasttransverse swing of said depending leg means to a manually adjusted andtemporarily fixed lateral position, said upper section being ofappreciably less resiliency than said intervening section assuringsubstantial maintenance of its depending orientation when adjusted to apredetermined fixed lateral position of transverse swing by saidadjustable mounting means, said appreciably resilient interveningsection providing means for applying yielding steady traction by saidpressure-applying nose pad means after adjustment to said predeterminedfixed lateral position of said upper section.

7. The nasal pressure-applying device as defined in claim 6characterized by said upper section including an elongated dependingportion integral with said intervening resilient section and anotherrelatively stifi depending elongated member mounted to said removableclamp on the inward lateral side of said integral elongated dependingportion, said intervening section being abutted to the outward lateralside of a lower portion of said relatively stiif depending elongatedmember to limit laterally inward swing while permitting laterallyoutward resilient yield of said intervening section.

8. A spectacle supported nasal pressure-applying corrective devicecomprising, in combination with a spectacle frame having a pair of lensrims and an intervening connecting substantially rigid transverse nosebridge structure determining by contact with the bridge of a patientsnose and adjacent face structure the distance of the spacing of thespectacle frame forward of his eyes, an elongated depending leg meanshaving an upper section, a lower padsupporting section and anintervening appreciably resilient section from which said lowerpad-supporting section depends, a pressure-applying nose pad meansmounted on said lower pad-supporting leg section below said interven ingresilient section, and means adjustably mounting said upper leg sectionto said nose bridge structure for swing of said depending leg means bothtransversely in a lateral direction and also substantially normalthereto forward and back to one of a plurality of adjusted andtemporarily fixed positions, said upper section being of appreciablyless resiliency than said intervening section assuring substantialmaintenance of its depending orientation when adjusted to apredetermined fixed position of transverse swing by said adjustablemounting means, said appreciably resilient intervening section providingmeans for applying yielding steady traction by said pressure-applyingnose pad means after adjustment to said predetermined fixed position ofsaid upper section.

9. The nasal pressure-applying device as defined in claim 8characterized by said adjustable mounting means having aforwardly-extending pivot means for transverse swing andtransversely-extending pivot means for forward and back swing of saiddepending leg means, both of said pivot means being tightenable to holdtemporarily said depending leg means in adjusted positions of transverseand forward and back swing.

10. The nasal pressure-applying device as defined in claim 8characterized by said adjustable mounting means being in the form ofball and socket joint means having means temporarily to fix it in anadjusted position.

11. The nasal pressure-applying device as defined in claim 10characterized by said adjustable mounting means comprising a bodycarrying said ball and socket joint means, and clamping meansdisengageably clamping said body on said nose bridge structure.

12. A nasal pressure-applying corrective device to be supported on thetransverse nose bridge bar of spectacles comprising, in combination, aclamp to be disengageably clamped to said bridge bar, structure carriedby said clamp defining the socket of ball and socket joint means, anelongated depending leg element having a top end provided with a ball ofsaid ball and socket joint means rotatably and swingab-ly mounted in thesocket, means releasably to clamp said ball in the socket in an adjustedposition, said leg element having -a lower pad-supporting section and atleast a resilient section intervening its ball-carrying top end and saidlower section, and a pressure-applying nose pad means adjustably mountedon one side of said lower leg section for location in a desired verticalposition thereon.

13. A nasal pressure-applying corrective device to be supported on thetransverse nose bridge bar of spectacles comprising, in combination, aclamp to be disengageably clamped on said bridge bar, means carried bysaid clamp having an open-sided portion of a substantially sphericalsocket therein, ball clamping means overlying the open side of saidsocket portion, tightening means fastening said ball clamping means tosaid socket means, an elongated depending leg element having a top endprovided with a ball seated in the socket portion beneath said ballclamping means for rotation and swing therein when said tightening meansis loosened and temporarily to be clamped therein in an adjusted fixedposition when said tightening means is tightened, said leg elementhaving a lower pad-supporting section and at least a resilient sectionintervening its ball-carrying top end and said lower section, sleevemeans slidably mounted on said lower leg section and having meanstemporarily to fix it in an adjusted position thereon, and apressure-applying nose pad carried by said sleeve means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,825,266 Kleinman Mar. 4, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 76,055 Germany Nov. 28,1893

